New Year Cranberry Punch

9 cups unsweetened pineapple juice

9 cups cranberry juice

4 1/2 cups water

1 cup brown sugar

4 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves

4 cinnamon sticks, broken

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add water and brown sugar in a small saucepan and heat until brown sugar dissolves. Combine sugar water and remaining ingredients and mix well.

Refrigerate until chilled. Strain and serve.

November is Thanksgiving month, & Thanksgiving means lots & lots of pumpkin pie, right? Well, it does for me, anyway.

So I thought this sounded yummy & was a perfect Thanksgiving Drink of the Month!

Pumpkin Pie Cocktail

2 scoops vanilla ice cream

1/2 cup crushed ice

1 tablespoon canned pumpkin

1 ounce half-and-half

1 ounce spiced rum

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

2 tablespoons whipped topping

1 pinch pumpkin pie spice

Combine the ice cream, ice, pumpkin, half-and-half, rum, and 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour into a serving glass; top with whipped topping, sprinkle with pinch of pumpkin pie spice.

I’m not sure this one will actually give you the strength to lift & destroy a boulder, but it sounds good, doesn’t it?

Incredible Hulk

1 oz. vodka

2 oz. Midori

2 oz. Mountain Dew

Pour ingredients over ice in normal glass.

Halloween is right around the corner, but that isn’t my reason for posting this particular drink recipe.  You see, I take little Harley Doodle to the vet today for his annual check-up, so I thought it was oddly appropriate.

Black Cat

1 oz. vodka
1 oz. cherry brandy
cranberry juice
cola

Pour the vodka and brandy into a highball glass filled with ice.
Fill the glass with equal amounts of cranberry juice and cola.

This is one Black Cat you won’t mind having cross your path. At first glance, you may think that the flavor combination is a little strange, but it’s actually very good.

This month’s Drink of the Month was sent to me by a close friend, who just thought it sounded yummy.  I think it sounds yummy, too, & perfect for the start of summer!

My friend has also requested that if anyone is brave enough to try this, please let me know so I can let her know…she may just take a stab at whipping up a batch herself if it’s not too complicated & tastes as delicious as it sounds.

Since Mother’s Day is this month, I thought it only fitting that we share a round of mom-inspired cocktails…

Kiss Your Mother

1 1/2 shot raspberry liqueur (Chambord)

1 1/2 shot blue Curacao

3 shots vodka

1 part orange juice

1 part pineapple juice

Combine ingredients in a glass.  Let it layer out, or mix it to get a stunning green effect.

Aqua Velva

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. gin

1 oz. Blue Curacao

Sprite

Fill a shaker with cracked ice.  Add vodka, gin, & Blue Curacao.  Shake.  Strain into high ball glass filled with ice & top with Sprite (or your favorite lemon-lime soda).  Garnish with a slice of fresh lemon or lime.

Happy New Year

.25 oz brandy

4 oz champagne

.75 oz orange juice

.75 oz port

Mix together with crushed ice in a glass and garnish with mint leaves.

Ever think of making your own egg nog, rather than simply picking up a quart in the dairy section of the super market?  Here’s how:

Egg Nog

12 eggs

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

8 half-pint containers light cream

4 half-pint containers heavy cream

1 quart whiskey

1/2 cup rum

1/2 cup brandy

Separate eggs & beat whites until stiff.  Keep whites cold.

Beat yolks in a large bowl.  Gradually beat in sugar.

Pour into large saucepan & heat well, stirring constantly.  (Do not let eggs cook through.)  Remove from heat & stir in liquor.

Place mixture in punch bowl.  Add light cream slowly & mix well.  Folk in beaten egg whites.

Beat heavy cream until stiff & fold into mixture.

Sprinkle with nutmeg to taste.

This sounds good for Thanksgiving month, don’t you think?

Amaretto Sour

1/2 oz. amaretto

3/4 oz. lemon juice

1 maraschino cherry

1 orange slice

Shake well with crushed ice and strain into whiskey sour glass.

Garnish with orange slice & cherry.